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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302905">and as the world comes to an end i'll be here to hold your hand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/imadetheline/pseuds/imadetheline'>imadetheline</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Breathe In, Breathe Out [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Battle of Hoth (Star Wars), Cold, Father-Son Relationship, FebuWhump2021, Gen, Hurt Luke Skywalker, Hypothermia, M/M, Movie: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:40:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29302905</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/imadetheline/pseuds/imadetheline</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>febuwhump day eight - "hey, hey, this is no time to sleep."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luke Skywalker &amp; Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker &amp; Han Solo, Luke Skywalker/Han Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Breathe In, Breathe Out [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140389</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>146</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Luke and Vader Bonding, febuwhump 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>and as the world comes to an end i'll be here to hold your hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title from king and lionheart by of monsters and men</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Luke!” Han almost trips over the banks of snow in his way. His boots are already soaked as he trudges closer to his friend, the wind buffetting him from every angle, but he’s found him. He’s found Luke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He all but collapses next to Luke’s unmoving frame, a fine layer of snow already accumulated on him. Han desperately brushes it off, his numb fingers trying to find a pulse. But his gloves are too thick, panic building in his veins. “C’mon, Luke.” He leans closer to his friend’s face, almost blanching at the deep scratches and darkening bruises. But still, he leans in, trying to see if he’s breathing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a puff of air against his cheek, warm but too shallow. Some of the panic leaves him, though, as he gathers the kid in his arms. Luke moans at the movement and mutters something about Ben and Dagobah. Han doesn’t care about the particulars, but Luke’s awake, and he’s talking. That’s all that matters. He can work with that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A muffled cry draws his attention, and he glances up in time to see his tauntaun collapse. That’s not good. The whistling wind is all that’s left in the silence of the unbroken whiteness extending for klicks. And then he notices Luke isn’t mumbling anymore, his frosted eyelashes lying closed against red skin. “No, no, no, no. Hey-” He slaps Luke’s cheek gently, but he doesn’t stir. “Hey, this is no time to sleep, kid.” He looks up, desperately scanning the empty wasteland, but there’s no one coming for them. He’d known that when he left the base, but it’s still disconcerting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But wait, something is disturbing the snow a few klicks off. Han strains his eyes, willing the whipping snow to lessen so he can see. Han desperately hopes it’s not whatever left the bruises and gash on Luke’s face. It’s heading their way, whatever it is, a dark shadow moving closer through the snow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Han takes one last look at Luke’s reddened cheeks and limp figure and hopes he can survive for a few more minutes. With one last prayer to the Force or whatever power Luke believes in, Han stumbles to his feet, placing himself between Luke and the approaching figure. He fumbles for his blaster at his side and waits.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It doesn’t take long. The figure is moving at an unnatural pace, seemingly unaffected by the snow battering into it. Han shifts, trying to keep his limbs warm. But everything freezes regardless when he’s finally able to make out the dark shape. His mind whirls to a halt, and then he’s raising his blaster with a shout, red bolts firing directly at the skeletal mask of Darth Vader, fast approaching.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But they don’t do anything, and then his blaster is torn from his grip, immediately lost to the snow. And Vader is still approaching. Han is paralyzed. He’s about to die. His brain is screaming, and he knows in his bones it’s inevitable. Death is marching steadily towards him, and he’s powerless to stop it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But then Luke mumbles behind him, the sound almost lost to the wind, and Han doesn’t mind the approaching death. The thought hits him like a speeder, but he finds it’s true. He cares too much to try to run. He won’t leave Luke here alone, even if that means dying. Isn’t that what he was risking coming out here in the blistering cold anyway? How is this different?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So he leans down on shaking legs and grabs Luke’s lightsaber from his belt. It’s heavier than he expected, but he takes it anyway, leaning down one last time to press his forehead to Luke’s. “Stay with me, kid,” he pleads. And then he’s forcing himself back up, lightsaber gripped tightly between his gloved hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It shines a brilliant blue that’s almost blinding, even against the white of the snow still piling up around his boots, when he ignites it. It feels wrong in his hands; he wishes Luke were awake to wield it, but he’ll do the best he can. He hefts it up, staring determinedly into the emotionless mask of Darth Vader as he walks ever closer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The monster doesn’t seem deterred by the lightsaber in Han’s hands, just keeps moving steadily forward. And why would he be? They both know it’s a futile attempt at resisting for a moment longer. But as soon as Vader’s close enough, Han swings wildly anyway, fear and anger rushing through his veins in equal measure. But the blade doesn’t even get close to the towering menace, its cape whipping wildly in the wind before the lightsaber is being tugged from Han's grasp and into Vader’s, the blue light gone as the blade disappears. Han feels the loss of that light like a blow to his own chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he doesn’t have time to dwell on it before the wind steals his breath from his lungs in a gust of snow. Except this time, when he tries to suck in another breath to replace the lost air, there’s nothing there, no painfully cold oxygen to inhale. His hands raise to this throat frantically. But he can see the mask of Darth Vader clearly despite the snow whirling between them, the sound of the respirator lost to the shrieking wind, and he’d be a fool not to know what’s happening, not to know that he’s never going to leave this Force-forsaken wasteland of a planet. He just hopes that maybe someone will find his body, won’t leave him here to the ice and snow. But more than that, he wishes that he’d been able to save Luke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then from behind him, “Ha-” a weak cough, “Han…” And suddenly, there’s air flooding into Han’s lungs again, the grip on his throat disappeared into the wind. And the first thing that registers is that Luke had called for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe turning his back to Darth kriffing Vader isn’t the best choice, but he doesn’t care anymore. By all rights, he should already be dead, doesn’t quite understand why he’s not. And he undoubtedly will be soon, so he just turns shakily and falls to his knees beside his friend, uncaring and coughing violently as the bitingly cold air flows into his lungs once more. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he’s already reaching for Luke, turning his face toward him, desperately hoping to see those blue eyes open. “I’m here. I’m here, kid.” It’s hoarse and strained and barely audible, but Luke’s eyes finally open. And they’re dim and hazy, but they’re open and as blue as his saber’s blade. And Han could cry with the pure joy that action brings him. He doesn’t know why there’s not a blade through his stomach yet, or why Vader is deathly silent behind them, but he’s not going to squander this moment with Luke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Han…” His voice is weak, too weak, but he turns slightly into Han’s hand on his cheek. “Cold-” he’s interrupted by a shudder, and his eyes close again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Han desperately leans closer into him, “I know, I know. But you gotta stay with me, Luke.” And maybe it’s the cold or lack of oxygen flowing to his brain or the anger filling him, but he looks over his shoulder at the seemingly frozen Sith Lord and yells as loud as he can, “Hey, you’re the one with the bounty the size of a planet on this kid that says ‘Alive only!” You just gonna stand there and let him freeze?!” Kriff, he just yelled at Darth Vader. That’s definitely the end of him. But if it saves Luke, then he doesn’t care.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And his words seem to do the trick because suddenly, the wind around them is negligible and deafening silence descends. Now Han can hear the rasp of Vader’s respirator, along with his own unsteady breathing. The snow still dances a stone’s throw in front of him, but here in this bubble, nothing moves. A hiss from behind him, “You presume too much, Solo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Han gulps audibly, but he’s already come this far, might as well. “Oh yeah? So you’re telling me that after three years of searching for him, you don’t want him alive?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He feels the whisper of that pressure around his throat, but then Luke’s hand finds his in the snow, grasping loosely at his fingers, and the pressure dissipates. He tugs Luke’s hand closer, gripping it tightly, trying to rub some warmth back into his fingers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the hissing returns, “Move, Solo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Han doesn’t even look over his shoulder, his gaze fixed on the rise and fall of Luke’s chest, afraid that if he looks away for even a moment, it’ll stop. “Are you gonna help him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A burst of static, “I will take him to my ship for medical attention. Now, move. I will not ask a third time.” The threat is clear in those words, and Han doesn’t know why he’s not dead yet, but he’s not going to push Vader anymore than he already has, especially now that he’s said he’ll help Luke. He’s not that much of an idiot. Well, the princess might think so. Kriff: Leia. She’s going to kill him for this. That is if Vader doesn’t do it first. But even if Vader does kill him, he wouldn’t put it past her to find a way to resurrect him so that she can murder him herself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he reluctantly lets go of Luke’s hand, his heart breaking at the muffled whimper that escapes the kid when their fingers separate, and pushes himself away. Vader doesn’t hesitate, swiftly kneeling in the snow where Han had been a moment earlier, and slides his arms beneath Luke, hefting him up easily. Han doesn’t miss the way Vader seems to cradle Luke to his chest, but he’s in too much shock at the overall situation to wonder about it right now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There’s a mumbled, “Han…” as Luke’s head lolls against Vader’s chest and Han’s heart clenches. Vader’s undoubtedly going to kill him now. He has what he wants, and there’s no reason for Han to go on living. At least Luke won’t die here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But apparently, the universe has decided he hasn’t had enough surprises for one day because Vader just barks out, “Keep up, Solo. I won’t wait for you.” And then he’s striding through the snow, the bubble of peace he’s created following him. Han stands frozen in shock for a moment, but then the wind is once again whipping at his face, lifting the loose snow, and he’s scrambling after the dark figure until he’s once again trailing behind him, safe from the wind inside his Force-created silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Han is very much confused as he trudges after Vader as everything starts to catch up to him. Luke looks so small in the giant’s arms, but Vader’s grip seems almost gentle, and Han’s fairly sure he catches Vader leaning his helmet against Luke’s forehead for a moment as they walk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They keep going, to where Han’s not sure, the snow piling up in front of his boots. But he has the sneaking suspicion that the only reason he’s alive is somehow connected to Luke. And that’s fine with him; as long as he’s alive, he can watch out for the kid. Vader’s behavior is definitely odd, though. What does he want with Luke? More and more, it seems like it’s not anything harmful. And for all the logic that says this is it, death is fast approaching; for some reason, Han doesn’t think it’s the end for either of them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you guys liked it leave a comment. They make my day! Seriously I love reading them so please leave me one cause they motivate me to write more! if you guys have ideas for other stories send me an ask on tumblr <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/imadetheline">here</a> or just yell about stuff with me. Info about me and all my other tumblrs are <a href="https://infoabtmaddie.carrd.co/#">here</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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